Durant leads Thunder into Portland

(Sports Network) - Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant has scored 20-plus
points in 12 straight games, averaging 31.3 ppg in that time, and will look to
lead his team past the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday at the Rose Garden.

Durant recorded a season-best 42 points on 16-of-25 shooting in a 116-101 road
win over the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. He also had eight rebounds and
five assists for Oklahoma City, which opened a three-game road trip on a high
note and has won seven of the past nine games.

Russell Westbrook posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 assists, while
Kevin Martin added 15 points for the Thunder, who are 10-5 away from home and
lead the NBA with 105.7 ppg.

"A great team win for us," Durant said. "My teammates did a good job of
getting me the ball. We moved the ball so well which makes it easy for
everybody."

The Northwest Division-leading Thunder are scheduled to close out the road
swing Monday against the moribund Phoenix Suns in the desert.

Portland hopes to get back on the winning path and extend its nine-game home
winning streak against the mighty Thunder.

The Trail Blazers had won four in a row, including a 92-90 triumph over the
Miami Heat on Thursday, but dropped a 103-97 decision at Golden State the
following night. Rookie Damian Lillard soared in his hometown to the tune of a
career-high 37 points, six boards and four assists for Portland.

"I had a game like this in college, but that ended up with a win," Lillard,
a native of Oakland, said of his performance. "That's why this is
bittersweet."

Lillard set the franchise record for three-pointers made in a game with seven,
going 7-for-12 from downtown.

Nicolas Batum had 16 points, while Wesley Matthews and Luke Babbitt netted 10
points apiece in a losing effort. The Blazers, still a dominant 12-4 in the
past 16 tries, shot just 38 percent for the game and made only 15-of-43 3-
pointers.

Portland is 13-4 in the Rose City, where it is playing eight of 10 games, and
last won 10 in a row as the host during a 12-game run from Jan. 24 - March 9,
2009.

The Blazers and Thunder will play the second of four meetings this season and
Oklahoma City grabbed a 106-92 victory at home on Nov. 2. Westbrook poured in
32 points and Durant tallied 23 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists in that
one for the Thunder, who have won four in a row and seven of the last nine
matchups in this series.

Oklahoma City has won two straight, three of four and four of its last six
trips to the Pacific Northwest.